robotic bird by korean artist duo erases its own footprints as social commentary

"A robotic bird leaves footprints over sand while another machine follows behind to erase the tracks with a toothbrush, along with a thin wire rake that smooths the sand. Finally, soft bristles flatten the surface to complete the tracks' erasure."

"Through the work's structure, with the endless formation and erasing of tracks, the artists reference our human survival and its repeated patterns of remembering and forgetting, generating and extinguishing, destroying and restoring."

"When activated, the robotic bird operates for approximately 2 minutes. Its movement is triggered by a sensor detecting the viewer's proximity, and continues as long as the viewer remains within the sensor's range."

No Bird is a kinetic art installation by South Korean artists UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG that depicts two mechanical devices operating within a sand diorama. A robotic bird walks across the sand leaving footprints, while a second machine follows behind to erase the tracks using a toothbrush, wire rake, and soft bristles. The robotic bird operates for approximately two minutes when activated by a proximity sensor. Through this endless cycle of track formation and erasure, the installation serves as social commentary on human survival, exploring repeated patterns of remembering and forgetting, generating and extinguishing, and destroying and restoring.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine